Student spots mystery 'primate' stalking though park

A mystery creature, which a student claims is a monkey, has been photographed
in a public park.

Terri Leigh Cox took this photograph of the primate shortly before it scampered up a tree and out of sight in Dorchester, DorsetPhoto: Terri Leigh Cox/BNPS

By Telegraph reporters

7:01AM GMT 26 Mar 2013

Terri Leigh Cox, 17, says that she saw something hunched over and bounding around on all fours from her bedroom window in Dorchester, Dorset, and took a photograph of it on her mobile phone. The teenager said that the park's visitor, which she insisted was not a dog or cat, then ran up a tree and out of sight.

Shaun Bessant, her boyfriend, went out to investigate but found no sign of the "monkey–like" creature.

The park is about 10 miles from the Monkey World attraction in Wool. Miss Cox, who is studying health and social care at college, said the creature "looked about the size of a small gorilla. It was walking like one as well, using its arms and feet".

She added: "It was definitely a monkey because you could tell by its hunched back and the way it scampered across the field and up the tree. It was not a black dog. I have no idea what the monkey was doing there.

A spokesman for Monkey World said that all of its monkeys and apes were accounted for.

"The image is not clear and it is difficult to make out, so we would be unable to confirm its identity," they said. "I can confirm that all of our rescued monkeys and apes are safe and well in the park."

Dog walkers expressed shock at the teenager's claim.

Derek Dodd said: "I have seen a lot of wildlife on these fields but a monkey–like creature isn't one of them."